Trading contracts is not really a technical issue; for most people, losing money ultimately comes down to those deeply ingrained bad habits—one after another, sending their accounts down the drain.

Let's start with the most common one—the itch to trade.

When there's no position, the mind feels empty, constantly thinking about missing out on some opportunity; but once a position is established, it's even harder to sit still. Not clicking the buy or sell button for a minute feels like being roasted on hot coals. The result? Frequent entries and exits, paying fees left and right, while losses pile up one after another. The most dangerous part of this habit is that it keeps you from stopping—you think the next trade will recover the losses, then the next, then the next, trapping you in a vicious cycle.

Next are the brothers who jump back and forth.

When they open a long position and see a decline, they panic and close it; then they switch to short, but are afraid of missing the move. These people can flip their stance three times a day, leaving themselves confused about their own strategy. The market has its own inertia and rhythm, but you keep dancing to your own tune. In the end, it's not the market that gets confused, but yourself.

The rebound chasing is a major disaster area.

The more violent the decline, the more you think "it’s time for a rebound." This idea sounds logical, but the problem is—most rebounds are just traps, setting the stage for an even harsher sell-off next. Those high-risk, blood-sucking operations are not for everyone. Many amateurs have ended up losing fingers here.

There's also a counter-issue: hesitating when it's time to act.

The trend is obvious in front of you, but you're afraid of a pullback, a spike, or being cut by the big players. After overthinking, the market has already moved away. At this point, regret is useless—opportunities don't wait. To be realistic, sometimes in contracts, the profit isn't about how many points you make, but about your execution ability.

Another classic self-deception: "It must be the big players targeting me."

Overthinking it. To be brutally honest, with your small position size, the big players wouldn't even glance at you. Being tormented by the market is mostly because you have no plan, no patience, and you're just playing based on feelings and luck.

Full position is another dead end.

It’s definitely satisfying to make money, feeling like the risk was worth it; but just one mistake can lead to a crash. The veterans who survive in contracts understand one thing—always leave yourself an escape route. No matter how optimistic you are about a trend, always reserve room for adjustments. That’s not cowardice; that’s wisdom.

And the most difficult one—admit when you're wrong.

Stop-loss isn't failure; it's stopping the bleeding. Many people see stop-loss as a form of shame, thinking that taking a loss means admitting defeat. But in reality, not cutting losses in time is the real way to fight against the market. The market is always right; if you keep fighting it, you will definitely lose.

Contracts can be traded, but the prerequisite is to avoid these pitfalls. Making fewer mistakes is always more important than making more money. Over time, the difference becomes significant.